Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to determining the position of entryway devices. More particularly, but not exclusively, embodiments of the present invention relate to the determination and communication of the position of an entryway device by a door closer assembly.
Door closers, including, but not limited to, automatic door openers, are often utilized to provide a force or other action that at least assists in the displacement of an entryway device between an open location and a closed location. Moreover, a door closer can provide a force that at least assists the displacement of an entryway device, including a door, gate, or barrier, among other devices, to a closed location, for example, at which the entryway device may be positioned to inhibit or prevent ingress/egress through an associated entryway. Thus, door closers may be structured to automatically return an opened, or partially opened, entryway device to a closed location, and thereby remove the need for manual closing by a user.
Whether an entryway device is at an open or closed location has traditionally been automatically determined through the use of supplemental sensors that are applied to the entryway device or the lockset device. Yet, such supplemental sensors can add to the complexity and/or overall cost of the entryway system. Further, the inclusion of such supplemental sensors may increase the time and costs associated with installation of the entryway device, including, for example, costs associated with the installation, calibration, and/or preparation of the supplemental sensor(s). Further, in at least certain instances, the supplemental sensors may be limited to indicating whether the entryway device is in the open location or is in the closed location, and thereby not provide an indication of where the entryway device may be between the open and closed locations.